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Mar 16, 2013

Friends, I know a number of you think my Marc Jacobs taffeta ensemble is a little over the top, but have you been following what's been showing up on the fashion runways of late (see opening pic)? For better or for worse, I'm on trend -- not that I pay attention to those things, but I don't want to look like I'm stuck in the Oughts.

Depending on how I style these garments, they're a lot less out there than anything from Lily Pulitzer. The combo makes a strong statement, sure. I'll let you decide what statement it makes.

I'll probably wear it most often with a solid tee shirt and jeans.

Here are the shorts, worn alone:

I think you'll agree that separately, they're very wearable.

Now here are some final construction shots. Taffeta puckers easily, and while it isn't very visible on a print like this, I had to play with my stitch length and tension to keep things (relatively) smooth. I didn't topstitch along the bottom hem, the front zipper, or the collar: it just looks a little cheap on this fabulous (and costly) fabric, imo; maybe I'll change my mind though.

My shorts have back darts: those were easy as they're aren't deep.

The inside of the waistband of my shorts is lined in my yellow nylon fabric, with an extra layer of the yellow nylon inside for strength.

I had already put bias tape along the facing edges when I decided, late, that I'd line the jacket, so I left the trim, cutting away the lining beneath the facing (rather than just leaving the lining beneath the facing). I like the way the black separates the two fabrics.

The raglan sleeves are lined in ordinary gray poly lining -- lighter weight and more slippery than the yellow nylon.

I hemmed the jacket from the inside, first reinforcing the crease with fusible interfacing, folding the lining over the hem, taping with Wonder Tape (it didn't work well here, unfortunately; I had to pin it), turning the whole thing inside out, and stitching. An alternative would have been to slip stitch from the outside. Again, I chose not to stitch a vertical hem across the bottom, though it would have been much easier. This isn't nylon, after all.

Readers, that's it. If you'd like to see the whole freezing my hinie off photo shoot -- highlights of which were on the Mood site yesterday -- you can view it here.

In closing, I don't know how I managed to write 1,000 posts. Obviously I have a lot to get off my chest. Thanks for reading them!

Question: Do you think Marc Jacobs actually designed this fabric, or was it designed by the mill and then offered to him exclusively? (Anybody know how that works?)

43 comments:

Congrats on your 1000th post! I think you should let Willy guest blog more often, he did a great job.

I made (refashioned) floral shorts with a matching floral top recently, and though I wore them together to take pictures, they have only been worn separately since then. It's a very fashion forward look and I'm not sure I'm brave enough to pull it off...

Your jacket and shorts will be broken up by whatever t-shirt or shirt you're wearing, so the effect is not as in-your-face(in a good way).

Nice job as usual. I like the two pieces, but I think two together, especially with the jacket zipped, look like pjs! Of course, for lounging or a vacation that would be perfectly okay. Congrats on your millenium.

Especially like the shorts with T and plain jacket. Great job as usual!! Congrats on 1K posts, that's not easy and we all appreciate your dedication to keep us up (and challenged) with your sewing adventures.

Congrats on the 1,000th post! I can wait for the next 1,000!! I really like your ensemble...the coat is amazing and I loved sewing the various muslins and the process behind making it! loving your mood contribution and can't wait to see what you do with more of their fabric!!

Congratulations on your 1000 post! I don't think that this is out there at all. I do think wearing the pieces separately is the way to go most of the time, but why not wear them together? Matchy is very in this year. Does he design his own fabrics? I have no idea. I would love to know as well.

As far as I know, fabric mills usually design prints and present them either directly to large costumers or at trade shows. Costumers may pay the mill to keep certain prints exclusively for their use. And they may request a certain kind of print to be designed for them.

With digital printing becoming increasingly popular (and of good quality) both designing prints and producing them in small quantities is getting easier all time. As a result, we may be seeing more prints now which have been designed by people who are not professional print designers.

Hi Peter, long time listener, first time caller.I work for a fashion company in Australia - we basically have 2 options when it comes to printed designs. We can either buy stock fabric from the fabric mill(or factory that is preparing our garments) or the mill will produce a yardage based on our original design. It is much more expensive for us to do original prints, as we usually want a small(relatively) run of fabric for our bulk garments. I imagine a company like Marc Jacobs could probably achieve a more affordable price as their usage of bulk fabric could be a lot higher than ours - the fabric yield on a taffeta ballgown would be quite big! And I would also assume that the daisy print is an original Marc Jacobs design if they used it in the runway show - for an international brand to use stock fabric on the runway would be a bit poor form. Also, congratulations on your 1,000th post! x

One thousand wonderful - and I'm looking forward to one thousand and one wonderful! The jacket is just amazing. Marc Jacobs should be worried that you've done better with his fabric than he showed at fashion week. -Babe.

I seem to remember reading somewhere not so long ago, that in order to avoid taffeta puckering at the seams when you stitch it, one should cut it slightly OFF GRAIN. (it was in one of my sewing books, I think; maybe Claire Sheaffers"Couture Sewing" , or Kenneth King's "Cool Couture") Apparently it is a very tightly-woven fabric and so sewing along the grain causes puckering when the needle hammers through it; therefore turning the pattern pieces so they are a tad off-grain helps mitigate this.

BTW, the outfit looks positively conservative compared to all those others, so, no worries there! However I think it looks a bit "matchy-matchy" with shorts and jacket worn together; that look always reminds me of "pyjamas"-but that could, of course, just be my own idiosyncratic view. The "matchy-matchy" would look okay if you were heading to the beach, but if you were headed downtown, one or the other worn as a 'separate" would be much more "chic", IMOHO.

Oh and congrats on reaching the 1000-mark! Hope you are around for another 1000!

Congrats on your first thousand. It's lots of work doing these every day, and to make them interesting. Great photos and well-written explanations too.What a fine piece you have created with your jacket. The finishing details are superb. Carry on. I've learned so much as you have so kindly let us in on your learning process. All with a sense of humour to boot.Love both pieces, worn separately.....

Happy 1000th post and many thanks for all the wisdom and humour in them. While I would tend to wear the whole outfit only to pool parties where the cocktails were strong, as separates these are beautiful (and I'm so glad you decided to line the jacket!)

I wanted to hate it, but I absolutely love it. It's just one of those inspired ensembles with elements that don't do much until the integration of pattern, color and garment lines make the finished product outstanding. The whole is indeed greater than the parts. Well done. Uplifting. Yeah, clothes do that, right?

I don't think the taffeta is too loud at all! The colors are pretty subdued, and the print is a bit muted, so it's not like you're running around in some sort of Flower Power jogging suit. Your personality is so much bigger and brighter than the garments, so you can totally pull them off together or separate.

Love your jacket and shorts! Esp together, the print is awesome! And congrats on 1000 great posts!

And about the fabric, most bog designers and retaillers go to shows like premier vision in Paris and follow the trend advice there and purchase from mills all around the world. Often they ask for exclusivity and the mills grant it, that's also how some fabric shops end up with small bales of certain designer fabrics as they already use the mill as a supplier. I'm only privvy to this knowledge as the fabric shop I work in took me along to PV a couple of years ago, such an interesting show to see function! I'm sure certain mills will weave and print fabric for designers also, as my work had our own exclusive fabric printed by one of our regular suppliers!

Oh Peter, I love it! Congrats on your milestone. You have come so far, I mean, honestly...just look at the construction of that jacket! And sheesh - you finagled a pair of shorts out of the remainder and the piecing looks like a design feature.

Peter, I started reading your blog about a year ago, maybe longer, and have gone back and also have read every post. I think it is amazing how you have grown as a sewist and I think you have marvelous taste as well as very good skills! Congratulations on the 1000th post and may many more come! Thank you!

I love a man in a print! So even together - I think your shorts and jacket look amazing. I also think that two matching prints are an acquired taste for the eye - and perhaps its a more European look. I could see you dashing around Florence at Pitti Uomo!

Also - regarding the Marc Jacobs fabric question - He would most likely have had it designed for him and produced, perhaps in a small quantity. And another reader made the very astute observation that the store selling the fabric most likely has ties to the production source.

Another reader - Hazel, I believe, brought up Premier Vision. The next New York Convention will be in July. I am trying every trick in the book to get there!! It looks amazing!

a boy, a dream, and 10+ sewing machines

I'm a native New Yorker and self-taught home sewing fanatic! I started sewing in 2009 and today make all my own clothes using mainly vintage patterns and vintage sewing machines. Welcome to the warm and whimsical world of Male Pattern Boldness, where the conversation is sewing, style, fashion, fabric, and more!